LL Cool J and American singer Tito Jackson are not related as father and son.
James Todd Smith, known professionally by his stage name, LL Cool J, was brought into this world on January 14, 1968. He made it to the top with his single “I Need a Beat” and his debut studio album, Radio, in 1985.
The two-time Grammy Award winner, James, also appeared in several movies, including Halloween H20, In Too Deep, and Any Given Sunday, from which he earned tremendous love and admiration.
Apart from this, LL works as a host of Lip Sync Battle on Paramount Network. Overcoming various odds and challenges, he reached this position and is fully contented with his career’s accomplishments.
Let us learn more about the rapper and his details from these facts shown below:
| Real Name | James Todd Smith |
| Known as | LL Cool J |
| Father | James Louis Smith |
| Mother | Ondrea Griffith |
| Age | 54 years old |
| Birthplace | Bay Shore, New York, U.S. |
| Spouse | Simone Smith |
| Children | 4 |
| Profession | Rapper, songwriter, record producer, actor |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Years active | 1984–present |
Is LL Cool J’s Father Tito Jackson?
No, LL Cool J’s father is not the renowned singer Toriano Adaryll “Tito” Jackson.
The questions about their relationship were raised when someone shared a video on Youtube saying, “LL Cool J admits Tito Jackson is his biological father.”
However, the rapper’s father is James Louis Smith Jr, also known as James Nunya.
Tito is a notable singer who came into the limelight in the late 1960s and 1970s with the Motown label.
He has been active in the music industry since 1964. He has three sons with his wife, Delores “Dee Dee” Martes, who took her last breath in 1994.
Nonetheless, some sources also revealed that LL claims to be the illegal son of Tito. But no official information regarding this topic is available in the media, and this seems to be only a hoax.
American Rapper’s Biological Parents
LL Cool J’s biological parents are Ondrea Griffith and James Louis Smith Jr.
An American rapper was born on January 14, 1968, making him 54 years old in 2022. According to the Chicago Tribune, his childhood days were complicated and different from other kids.
He spent his early childhood in a middle-class family and was Catholic in Queens, and those days were heartrending for him. When he was only 4, his father shot his mother and grandfather mercilessly, but they survived. Seeing them coated with blood, he felt traumatized.
After this terrific incident, his mother took him to his grandparents’ home in St. Albans, Queens. But a series of his trouble could not end there also, as he was abused physically and mentally by his mother’s ex-boyfriend Roscoe.
Keeping all those incidents behind, his mother, Ondrea, supported him throughout these years, using her tax refund to buy him a Korg drum machine during his early days. He started rapping at ten and made his professional debut in 1984, creating demo tapes in his grandparents’ home.
About LL Cool J Family Tree and Ancestry
LL Cool J learned about his ancestry on PBS’s “Finding Your Roots.”
Cool knew his mother was adopted by his grandparents, Eugene Griffith and Ellen Hightower, whom he thought were his blood relatives. He shared an intimate bonding with them, and they also raised him with immense care and affection.
After reviewing his mother’s birth certificate on the show, he felt shocked to see Ondrea’s birth parents were not mentioned on the document. Even though LL knew about his mother’s past, he said his respect and love towards them emerged more by knowing the truth.
He added, “I appreciate the reason behind their silence as they didn’t want us to feel like we didn’t belong.” He also met his biological relatives on the show, including aunts and cousins.
The unraveling of LL Cool J’s hidden family history also exposed his childhood violence. His biological father, James Nunya, left this world at 65, and the rapper paid tribute by saying, the lessons you taught me will always remain in my heart.